Man says taxi driver tried to hit him while yelling anti-gay slur

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SEATTLE -- A Capitol Hill resident, who by his own account was annoying his cab driver, says that driver later tried to run him over while laughing and repeatedly yelling a homophobic slur, according to the Seattle Police Department.

According to the police report for the incident, the cab picked up the victim and another man around 4:45 a.m. last Saturday in downtown Seattle and drove them to West Seattle, where the other man was dropped off.

The victim asked the driver to take him home to Capitol Hill but soon changed his mind, telling the driver to take him to his mother's house in Beacon Hill instead.

On the way, the victim kept giving the cab driver directions and telling him where to go. He later told officers this was obviously upsetting the driver.

According to the victim, the driver started saying things like, "Who do you think you are?" and "You don't know me" toward the end of the ride. He said he responded by also telling the driver, "You don't know me."

The victim told officers he got his keys out to use as a weapon if needed after the driver threatened him, saying, "You don't know what I'll do to you."

Once they reached the victim's mother's house around 5:45 a.m., the victim paid his fare and got out of the cab.

According to the victim, the cab nearly reversed into him, but he stepped out of the way. He told officers the cab turned around and the driver accelerated at him multiple times in an attempt to hit him.

The victim said the driver was laughing and repeatedly yelling a homophobic slur at him during the incident. According to the report, the victim eventually kicked the cab, and it drove off.

According to the report, the victim's mother was woken up by the disturbance outside, which she initially believed was just some youths causing trouble. She told officers she heard yelling, an engine revving and someone using an anti-gay slur.

Officers were called to the scene to talk to the victim, who was so upset and angry over the incident that he had to be comforted multiple times in order to tell his side of events. He told officers he was offended and no one could talk to him like that.

Officers called the taxi company and got the name and address of the driver. The incident has been referred to the City Attorney's Office for possible charges.

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